Maddox to Serve as Executive Director

By Maggie Nixon, Pilot News Managing Editor

1/16/07 - After the announcement that long-time director Jeffrey Honzik was resigning from both the Marshall County Community Foundation and the United Way of Marshall County (effective after the completion of the 2006 campaign), both boards began their search for a replacement.

Dave Morrow, president of the board of directors of the United Way of Marshall County, announced Thursday that Jennifer S. Maddox will assume the role of executive director for both organizations in February.

"I am very excited to announce Jennifer Maddox as executive director of the Marshall County Community Foundation and the United Way of Marshall County," Morrow said. "She will begin her tenure with us Feb. 14, 2007."

Tammy Houin, president of the board for the Marshall County Community Foundation, said 29 applications were received for the position. "I believe about 15 were given a phone call -- five were interviewed. We had probably 10 candidates that were very qualified people apply for the position."

Morrow added, "The combined search committee had many outstanding candidates and we are very pleased that Jennifer accepted the position. Jennifer is very excited to join our organizations and will bring us a fresh new perspective."

"She is very talented and she’s very dynamic. I think the community will like her," said Houin.

Houin said the two organizations chose to again hire one shared executive director because it’s a trend both boards see coming in the future.

"These boards were ahead of their time in Marshall County -- the board did this 10 years ago. We’re saving the community money by hiring one individual for both organizations. We don’t compete with each other and we’re here for the betterment of the community," Houin said. "We’re here for the community together."

Prior to joining the Marshall County organizations, Maddox served as manager of Administration and Finance for the Department of Physics at the University of Notre Dame. She held that position since June, 1998.

In that capacity, she was responsible for all business and office operations of the Department of Physics for approximately 220 people.

She managed budgets of approximately $13 million for restricted and non-restricted funds. She also managed personnel, finances, databases, proposals, facilities, renovations, publications, technology needs, development, communications; graduate and undergraduate student needs; alumni, faculty and visitor needs.

In 2002, Maddox received the University of Notre Dame Award of Merit.

Prior to working with Notre Dame, she served as the executive director of the Mental Health Association (MHA) of St. Joseph County, a United Way agency, for three years.

In that position, Maddox was responsible for all aspects of the agency including: administration, personnel, volunteers, advocacy, programs, public relations, fund raising, development, financial reporting, and budgets.

During her tenure at the MHA, she created new programs, recruited new volunteers, increased agency income and established new collaborative relationships.

Maddox is a native of South Bend. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Houston, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor of business administration degree in finance. She earned her masters of business administration degree from the University of Notre Dame, graduating Cum Laude.

For 12 years, Maddox worked for Criterion Investment Management Company in Houston, Texas as administrator of marketing and client services. During her tenure there, she managed client services for 125 institutional clients comprising $7 billion in assets.

Maddox has participated in community service all of her life. Her volunteerism includes the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Parents Anonymous, Crisis Pregnancy Center, St. Vincent de Paul Home, Indiana School for the Blind, Greater Houston Women’s Foundation, and the St. Joseph County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program.

As a result of her volunteer activism, she was honored by Transamerica Corporation with the "Outstanding Community Volunteer" Award in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

Since returning to South Bend, she has served on several not-for-profit boards including La Casa de Amistad (South Bend), Mental Health Association of St. Joseph County, Indiana Opera North (Elkhart), and Redbud Community Retreat (South Bend), often serving in an officer capacity.

She was honored with a YWCA Tribute to Women Nomination in 1997.

Since 2004, she has been an undergraduate mentor for the University of Notre Dame Building Bridges Mentor Program. For the last several years, she has served as the chair of the Chad Edward Pearson Memorial Scholarship Fund at Indiana University South Bend.

In addition, Maddox has been a motorcycle safety Instructor, certified by the State of Indiana, Department of Education, since May 1999. She teaches motorcycle safety courses for ABATE of Indiana, primarily in South Bend. Motorcycling is her favorite stress reliever whenever she rides her red 1997 Harley Davidson Springer Softail, she said.

Morrow said Maddox and her husband, Mark Stevens, are looking for a home to relocate to Marshall County.

Maddox is planning to attend the United Way’s board meeting on Jan. 18 and is looking forward to meeting the entire board.

"Both organizations will have a joint public introduction gathering where Jennifer will be able to meet the public, including our partners and donors," Morrow said.

Valentine’s Day is not only Maddox’s first day on the job here in Marshall County, it is also her anniversary. She married her husband on Feb. 14, 2004. The couple has two sons, a daughter-in-law and two grandchildren in Texas.